Basement Waterproofing Riverdale Park

Riverdale Park may have gotten a new addition to its name back in 1998, but for everyone that lives here, the thing that matters most is that it’s still a place for both students and long-time residents to call a great place to live. The humble, blue collar roots of the area are still visible everywhere, but in the new century it still carries a charm and convenience that’s hard to beat. Whether you’re commuting to Washington DC, or enjoying your time at the University of Maryland, this is a town and a neighborhood that people can be proud to call home.

However, while everyone is enjoying the perks and benefits of Riverdale Park’s homes and buildings on the surface, there’s one recurring problem that not many people think about. It’s easy to forget about, because it’s not visible and, for some, not very common at all, but it always pays think outside the box, and that’s the definitely the case when it comes to basement waterproofing in Riverdale Park.

The Water Problem

A basement is not something that most people give a lot of thought to. For some, it’s just that room under the house where the laundry machines and random house items are kept. For others, it may be a workshop area that’s allowed to get more rugged and dirty than other parts of the house. For still others, maybe some renovation has occurred, and it’s another floor in the home for a “man cave” or game room, or some other actual household function.

The one thing most people don’t really consider when they think about their basement is how it could be damaged, or how water might be getting in.

But water can—and does—get into basements. In many cases, a basement may be the most natural “final destination” for water to deposit itself in a home, because water will always move to the lowest point, and the basement is exactly that for a typical Riverdale Park household. And when this happens, it can have many unexpected side-effects for the home, which is why people should always look into basement waterproofing in Riverdale Park.

How Water Gets In

The typical concept most people have of a basement is that it’s the base on which the rest of the house sits on. A hole is excavated, that bottom is covered by a solid slab of concrete which is then supported by other beams and concrete walls. Through this equal distribution of weight, the home is equally balanced and stabilized.

Unfortunately, concrete, as solid as it may appear to be, is actually a porous substance, which means that it can allow water to pass through. This can happen in many ways, such as water vapor actually penetrating a basement during warm weather, only to condense as liquid again in the cooler temperature of the basement. Concrete can crack through various factors, and if this occurs, water has easy access to a basement through a direct point of entry.

And finally, concrete can simply be overwhelmed by large amounts of water, and allow it pass through, which can happen during heavy rainfall, or, in extreme cases, flooding. When this happens, not only can the basement get wet, but any factors that have contributed to the weakening or damage of concrete or your foundation can be exacerbated over the years as more water gets in. Given enough time, a foundation can actually be damaged to the point that it shifts, causing stairs and doors to misalign, and even causing cracks in the home to occur, which basement waterproofing in Riverdale Park can prevent.

Why Is Water In The Basement Bad?

Water getting into your basement may, without serious thought, only seem to be a minor problem, especially if a basement is unfinished. However, this is only the beginning of a downward spiral. Any problem that starts out small will, if left unattended, grow into a much larger—and subsequently far more expensive—crisis that will require more severe action to address.

A little water getting into a basement now means that more water will gradually get in. But even a little water getting in can, on a regular basis, start causing problems for your home, especially with regards to health. A damp, dark basement is a perfect breeding ground for mold, and certain types of mold can start sending spores into the air that, when breathed in by a household, can lead to serious illness and even lung infection.

Beyond this, most homes with a basement will have both the furnace and water heater located in this area. Standing water and increased moisture can damage these delicate pieces of hardware, meaning expensive repair or replacement of these appliances to keep a house in good working order.

And finally, if you have finished your basement and gone with a full renovation including carpeting, more electrical wiring and drywall, water leaking through will damage all this work, requiring more repair and more expense. If the causes of the water coming into a basement are because of foundation problems, this will eventually lead to a sizable repair on the home’s foundation itself. However, basement waterproofing in Riverdale Park can prevent or stop this.

How To Fix It

Basement waterproofing in Riverdale Park is a speciality of AA Action Waterproofing. We provide three critical services based on your basement situation, with mold remediation, foundation repair and, of course, basement waterproofing in Riverdale Park. Mold remediation will take care of the immediate health threat if mold is found in your home. Foundation repair can efficiently address any cracks or movement in your foundation that may be the cause of some basement water penetration, while basement waterproofing itself either seals the basement against liquid and vapor penetration, or manages incoming water by collecting it and diverting it away from the basement to a secure area where it cannot harm your home.

If you’d like to know more about how water can hurt you basement and your home, and find out what we can do to prevent that from happening, contact AA Action Waterproofing today, and we’ll be happy to answer your questions.